This year’s theme is “One woman can make a difference. Together we can rock the world.” The key word is rock and will be captured throughout the event by each exhibitor.

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and helping support such a cause is the upcoming Women in Business Expo with The Pink Party on Friday, Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University at Tuscarawas.

A free event, women and men are invited to interact and network with area women in business.

This year’s expo is sponsored by Ohio Billing Inc., Gold Force Administrative Support and the Small Business Development Center at Kent State Tuscarawas. The first 250 people at the WIB Expo booth will receive a free T-shirt.

Pam Sprowls, director of business development at Ohio Billing Inc., and Terri Davis, CEO at Ohio Billing Inc., have continued their involvement for five years.

Sprowls said she and Davis brainstormed how to give back to the Small Business Development Center, and they contended there were no women’s networking events in the Tuscarawas County area, hence the Women in Business exhibit.

“The first year we had 34 exhibitors and 150 people attend, and from there it has just grown and blossomed.”

With its reach extending across Tuscarawas County, last year’s event included more than 300 attendees and 90 exhibitors.

“We like to say there are three components. What do women like to do? We like to talk, which is networking. We like to eat — and there’s food at this event — and come together and have fun," Sprowls said. "So there’s all three components to this bringing women in and women-owned businesses together and then developing that relationship.”

This year’s theme is “One woman can make a difference. Together we can rock the world.” The key word is rock and will be captured throughout the event by each exhibitor.

“We’ve labeled it as The Pink Party with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that’s how this all formulated, bringing women together and encouraging them to get their mammograms,” said Sprowls, a breast cancer survivor.

“Pam formulated a fund with the Rainbow Connection called 'Seeds of Hope,' so a portion of our proceeds goes to the Rainbow Connection to that designated fund to help women in Tuscarawas County diagnosed with cancer,” Davis said.

The event will include prizes, food sampling and numerous ways to connect with business women. Friends, family and co-workers are invited to come together over lunch break.

“It’s just a fun day. We get so wrapped up in our work day that we forget to have fun. So the idea is to connect women with resources and have fun that day,” Davis said.

They have had an array of exhibitors, from bankers, to realtors, to hospitals, to funeral homes, to car dealers, to boutiques, to restaurants that have participated in past expos.

“It’s a great way to interact with businesses,” Sprowls said. “They’re able to interact and network with each other.”

Live at the event will be radio stations WNPQ 95.9 and WBTC 101.9.

Sprowls said a pink Coach purse may be given away by one of the exhibitors.

“It’s a free event, but the word 'free' is overrated. From young women to old, it’s a very valuable event to attend,” Sprowls said.

For more information about the event or to gain awareness about other organizations bringing good will and awareness, visit www.facebook.com/WIBEXPO. If you would rather call, you can ask for either Sprowls or Davis at Ohio Billing Inc. at 330-874-1140.